Eye wash station

ABSTRACT

A hand held eye wash station includes a collapsible container for containing the eye wash liquid. A spring member for collapsing the container and forcibly expressing the liquid is restrained by a snap release. When eye flushing is necessary the snap release is manually operated to free the spring which in turn collapses the container and expresses the eye wash liquid in a continuous stream.

United States Patent Huck [451 Mar. 18, 1975 EYE WASH STATION CharlesMason Huck, Oldwick, NJ.

Sybron Corporation, Rochester, NY.

Filed: Feb. 4, 1974 Appl. No.: 439,370

Inventor:

Assignee:

U.S. Cl. 222/96, 222/340 Int. Cl 8651! 35/30 Field of Search 128/249;222/340, 96, 214,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1969 Hanson 222/340 X 7/1969Schwartzman 128/249 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,179,121 12/1958France 222/340 Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Attorney, Agent, orFirmTheodore B. Roessel; Roger Aceto [57] ABSTRACT A hand held eye washstation includes a collapsible container for containing the eye washliquid. A spring member for collapsing the container and forciblyexpressing the liquid is restrained by a snap release. When eye flushingis necessary the snap release is manually operated to free the springwhich in turn collapses the container and expresses the eye wash liquidin a continuous stream.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures EYE WASH STATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to eye wash stations and moreparticularly to such a station wherein the discharge of the eye washliquid is easily initiated and once initiated, is continuous until thecontainer is empty.

Eye wash stations are commonly used in laboratories or other areas wherethere is a danger of eye injury due to contact with a hazardoussubstance such acid, hydroxides and the like. In most instances, an eyewash station is a permanent fixture in the laboratory and is connecteddirectly to the building water supply. Since the eye must be flushed asquickly as possible after contact with a hazardous substance, any delayin flushing could be disastrous. For this reason, a permanent orbuilt-in eye wash station is not satisfactory unless it is immediatelyadjacent the area where such an injury might occur. Another objection tosuch fixed eye wash stations is that its plumbed-in water supply may notnecessarily be at the preferred ambient or room temperature.

Small portable, hand held eye wash stations are also known in the art.The advantage of such an unit is that it can be carried or locatedanywhere a hazardous substance is employed, so that the eye wash stationis immediately available should any injury occur. The primarydisadvantage of such units is that they must be squeezed manually toexpress the eye wash liquid and for this reason the eye wash liquid isexpressed in an intermittent stream rather than in a preferred, continuous stream. Further, an individual involved in any eye related accidentfrequently cannot retain their eyelid in an open position without thehelp of one or both hands. Thus. a handheld portable eyewash stationswhich must be hand squeezed, thus has the additional drawback ofpreventing the individual from using one or both hands to hold hiseyelid open.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages in the prior art byproviding a portable handheld eye wash station container which issnap-opened. Once opened, the container automatically supplies aconstant flow of eye wash liquid which continues until the container isempty.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention may be characterized inone aspect thereof by the provisions of a frame; a collapsible containerin the frame for containing the eye wash liquid; bias means between theframe and the container; and a manual release engaging the bias meanswherein operation ofthe release allows the bias to exert a continuousforce for collapsing the container and expressing the eye wash liquid.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION One object of the present invention is toprovide a portable eye wash station which is quickly and easilyoperated.

Another object to the present in ention is to provide a portable eyewash station which supplies the eye wash liquid in a continuous stream.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a portable,handheld eye wash station in which it is not necessary to manuallysqueeze the container in order to express the eye wash liquid.

Yet another object is to provide eye wash station which frees one orboth hands of the accident victim after the flow of water is initiated.

These and other objects, advantages and characterizing features of thepresent invention will become more apparent upon consideration of thefollowing detailed description thereof when in connection with theaccompanying drawings depicting the same.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is perspective view of the eye washstation; and

FIG. 2 is side elevation view of the eye wash station partly broken awayand in section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, FIG.1 shows the portable eye wash station generally indicated at 10. Thestation comprises a frame or housing 12 which is preferably cylindrical.The housing includes a handle l4 and a removable top 16 having a centralopening l8 (FIG. 2). Attached to the top and disposed about this openingis an upstanding collar 20 which also functions as an eyecup. For thisreason, the collar is preferably made of a soft material such as rubberor foamed plastic. The housing is also provided with an axial slot 22for purposes set out herein below. This slot extends for the majorheight of the housing with the lower end 24 of the slot being spacedabove the housing bottom 26.

Disposed within the housing, as shown in FIG. 2, is a collapsiblecontainer 28 for containing the eye wash liquid. The container has anopen spout 30 which extends up into collar 20. The spout is covered witha perforated cap 32 so that liquid being expressed from the containerwill form a spray.

Container 28 is supported on a follower plate 34 which in turn issupported on a spring 36 biased between this plate and housing bottom26. The follower plate has a ear 38 which extends into and through slot22. Engaged over this ear is a manual release means formed by a stiffwire rod 40.

As shown in the figures, rod 40 has a lower end 42 which is pivoted tohousing [2. This pivot, for example. may be accomplished by seating thelower end of the rod in a groove 44 formed in the bottom of the housing.The upper end 46 of the rod extends to the top of collar 20 and inconnected to an L-shaped push plate. One portion 50 of this plate isdisposed snugly over the top of the collar and acts as a dust cover toprevent dust particles and the like from settling down and into cup 20and spout 30. The second portion 52 of the plate is an upstandingportion which is manually pushed to operate the eye wash station.

Between its ends 42 and 46, release rod 40 is formed with a dog leg 54which is engaged over ear 38. Movement of release rod to the right asviewed in FIG. 2 will allow this dogleg to slide off and release the earthereby releasing the restraint on spring 36.

Should the need arise to operate the eye wash station, it is merelylifted by handle 14 and the upstanding plate portion 52 struck orpushed. This rotates release rod clockwise as viewed in FIG. 2 whichmoves both plate portion 50 from collar 20 and dogleg 54 from ear 38.Releasing car 38 frees spring 36 and allows the spring to expand. Theexpanding spring causes container 28 to collapse towards and againsthousing top 16. While the container is being forcibly collapsed. the eyewash liquid in the container is expressed in a continuous stream throughspout 30.

Once upright plate portion 52 is pushed, no further action is requiredto initiate the flow of liquid and the flow remains continuous until thecontainer is emptied. After flow is started. the accident victim caneither use one hand to hold the wash station up to his eye and the otherhand to hold his eyelid open or set the station on any convenientsurface and use both hands to hold his eyelid open. The duration of theflow depends upon the size of the container and, the strength of spring50 and the spout size. However, a flow duration of seconds to severalminutes is within the skill of the art. Further, since the station is aself-contained unit, the temperature of the eye wash liquid will be atthe desired ambient temperature.

Thus, it should be appreciated that the present invention overcomes itsintended objects in providing an easily operated, self-contained,handheld eye wash station capable of providing a continuous flow of eyewash liquid for a sustained period of time.

Having described the invention in detail, what is claimed as new is:

1. A self-contained eye wash station comprising:

a. a housing having an axial slot formed through the wall thereof;

b. a collapsible container confined in said housing,

said container adapted to contain an eye wash liquid and having an openspout portion extending through said housing;

c. bias means between said housing and container,

said means capable of exerting a force on said container to collapse thesame for expressing the liquid contents thereof through said spout, saidmeans including a flange extending through said slot; and

d. manually operable release means in releasable engagement with saidflange restraining said bias means.

2. A self-contained eye wash station comprising:

a. a housing;

b. a collapsible container confined in said housing,

said container adapted to contain a liquid and having an open spoutportion extending through said 4 housing;

c. bias means between said housing and container,

said means capable of exerting a force on said container to collapse thesame for expressing the liquid contents thereof through said spout; and

d. manually operable release means restraining said bias means, saidrelease means having a first end pivoted to said housing, a second endadapted to be manually engaged and a portion intermediate said endsreleasably engaged with said bias means.

3. An eye wash station as in claim 2 wherein said bias means is providedwith a flange extending through said housing and said intermediateportion is a dogleg engaged over said flange.

4. An eye wash station as in claim 3 wherein said second end extendsover the top of said housing and is pro vided with a upstanding pushingsurface.

5. An eye wash station as in claim 3 wherein such second end includes asubstantially horizontal plate member disposed over said spout portionto provide a dust cover for said open spout.

6. A self-contained eye wash station comprising:

a. a housing having an axial slot formed through the wall thereof and anopen end;

b. a removable cover for said open end, said cover having a centralopening;

c. a collar of resilient material upstanding about said central openingto form an eye cup;

d. a collapsible container confined in said housing for containing aneye wash liquid, said container having a spout portion extending throughsaid central opening and into said eye cup;

e. bias means between said container and the bottom of said housingexerting a force on said container to collapse the same towards the topof said housing for expressing the liquid contents of said containerthrough said spout. said bias means including a flange extending throughsaid slot; and manual release means engaged against said flangerestraining said bias means, the operation of said release means causingdisengagement with said flange and allowing said bias means to collapsesaid container and force the eye wash liquid therefrom.

* l l= =l

1. A self-contained eye wash station comprising: a. a housing having anaxial slot formed through the wall thereof; b. a collapsible containerconfined in said housing, said container adapted to contain an eye washliquid and having an open spout portion extending through said housing;c. bias means between said housing and container, said means capable ofexerting a force on said container to collapse the same for expressingthe liquid contents thereof through said spout, said means including aflange extending through said slot; and d. manually operable releasemeans in releasable engagement with said flange restraining said biasmeans.
 2. A self-contained eye wash station comprising: a. a housing; b.a collapsible container confined in said housing, said container adaptedto contain a liquid and having an open spout portion extending throughsaid housing; c. bias means between said housing and container, saidmeans capable of exerting a force on said container to collapse the samefor expressing the liquid contents thereof through said spout; and d.manually operable release means restraining said bias means, saidrelease means having a first end pivoted to said housing, a second endadapted to be manually engaged and a portion intermediate said endsreleasably engaged with said bias means.
 3. An eye wash station as inclaim 2 wherein said bias means is provided with a flange extendingthrough said housing and said intermediate portion is a dogleg engagedover said flange.
 4. An eye wash station as in claim 3 wherein saidsecond end extends over the top of said housing and is provided with aupstanding pushing surface.
 5. An eye wash station as in claim 3 whereinsuch second end includes a substantially horizontal plate memberdisposed over said spout portion to provide a dust cover for said openspout.
 6. A self-contained eye wash station comprising: a. a housinghaving an axial slot formed through the wall thereof and an open end; b.a removable cover for said open end, said cover having a centralopening; c. a collar of resilient material upstanding about said centralopening to form an eye cup; d. a collapsible container confined in saidhousing for containing an eye wash liquid, said container having a spoutportion extending through said central opening and into said eye cup; e.bias means between said container and the bottom of said housingexerting a force on said container to collapse the same towards the topof said housing for expressing the liquid contents of said containerthrough said spout, said bias means including a flange extending throughsaid slot; and f. manual release means engaged against said flangerestraining said bias means, the operation of said release means causingdisengagement with said flange and allowing said bias means to collapsesaid container and force the eye wash liquid therefrom.